Vero Beach vs. WDW Resort

[cruisehopeful]

Cruising out of Fort Lauderdale in March 2026. I'm having a hard time deciding between visiting Vero Beach for 2-3 days before or a WDW Resort before. I have a knack for having a good time on vacation. I will have an amazing time no matter what we do. That said, it's 2 adults ( empty nesters). I don't eat much meat and no seafood. My husband has a lot of dietary restrictions (will prepare his own meals most of the time) and is celebrating sobriety. Please confirm or correct my assumptions regarding these resorts:

Vero Beach: Take it easy by the beach. Get a spa treatment. Have a rental car so we can get around to buy food, etc. Be careful not to get a bunch of bug bites

SSR: Enjoy the resort grounds for walking, biking, etc. Stay near Disney Springs and go there as much as we want. Buses to the theme parks are a dud (probably won't go to theme parks if we stay there).

Copper Creek/Boulder Ridge: Maybe luck out with a cabin. If not, no prob, whole area is beautiful. Spend time at Fort Wilderness or go to the parks.

Polynesian: I have a small contract there and am staying there 7 months prior. Stay there because I will be familiar and love all things Hawaiian and Disney. Visit theme parks or resort hop or go to Disney Springs. Lots of options, but probably only have a studio.

Riviera: Eat onsite. Take skyliner to the parks. I think if we stayed here, we wouldn't venture out of the area - just the resort and Epcot and/or Hollywood studios. Never been to Hollywood studios!

 

[tofubeast]

March is a gorgeous time at Vero. The weather will be nice and the ocean will be warming up. I have stayed there several times as a quick getaway (we live in S Fl). It is very relaxing. I have never utilized the spa. The restaurant onsite is lovely, but I would suggest looking at the menu. There are places you can visit in Vero that are chill and relaxing. If you want quiet, relaxation beach time with a touch of Disney...go here. It's only about 2 hours north of Ft. Lauderdale, so a closer drive than WDW.

 

[cruisehopeful]

March is a gorgeous time at Vero. The weather will be nice and the ocean will be warming up. I have stayed there several times as a quick getaway (we live in S Fl). It is very relaxing. I have never utilized the spa. The restaurant onsite is lovely, but I would suggest looking at the menu. There are places you can visit in Vero that are chill and relaxing. If you want quiet, relaxation beach time with a touch of Disney...go here. It's only about 2 hours north of Ft. Lauderdale, so a closer drive than WDW.

Thanks for replying! I am leaning towards Vero because I don't think I'll have another opportunity to get there in the foreseeable future. The only thing holding me back was not knowing what the weather would be like because I definitely would want to be able to enjoy the beach.

 

[tofubeast]

Thanks for replying! I am leaning towards Vero because I don't think I'll have another opportunity to get there in the foreseeable future. The only thing holding me back was not knowing what the weather would be like because I definitely would want to be able to enjoy the beach.

While there’s always a chance you could get a cool streak, more likely you will find weather around 78-84 as a high each day.

 

[mmouse1239]

Thanks for replying! I am leaning towards Vero because I don't think I'll have another opportunity to get there in the foreseeable future. The only thing holding me back was not knowing what the weather would be like because I definitely would want to be able to enjoy the beach.

I understand your concerns, and I lived them once. We went to VB for a week with another couple in a 2br villa. The resort is great, but there isn’t much to do beyond the beach and pool. Unfortunately, we were only able to utilize the pool one day during the week due to bad weather. I now own a condo a bit south of Vero, proving that I liked the area but the resort is kind of isolated. If you have a car, you can find lots of good restaurants in Vero.

 

[shaunacb]

We are in the same "boat" but this is for mid-December for 2 nights before a Port Canaveral cruise. Vero Beach or a WDW resort (available at 7 months)? School age kids. Probably won't go to the parks.